Colin macbeth



C. MACBH'H. MANUFACWRE UF TIRES. APPUCMIUN man Avn, z3. m2o.

1,362, 1 69. Patented Dec. 14, 1920 la?! /v/ 2 S HITS-SHEET l.

C. MACBETH.

MANUFACTURE of Imis.

APPLICATION NEED APH. 23, 1920.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

UNI-TED rar-slur ersten. f

1 l conm` MACBETH, -oF BIRMINGHAM ENGLAND, assmnonfco uur: .vuumfmudnan COMPANY, ummm), or assume PARK, LoNDoN. susanna;

mancuernas or Trans.

Specification `of Letters latentfy Patented Dec, 14,'.192CL` Application ill-ed April 23, l1920. Serial 110.376,105.

To all lw Imm it 'ma concern.'

Be it known t at I, COLIN MAoE'rH, n subject vof the King of Great Britain, residing at Fort Dunlop1 Erdington, Birmingham, in the county of Warwick, England, have invented certain new and useful Im-l provements in or Relatin `to Manufacture of Tires, of which the following is a speci.- ication.

This invention relates to the manufacture of tires, and has more particular reference to the molding and vulcanizing of pneumatic'tire covers or Vcasings` Canvas and fabric casings are often made by the'method or process known as the internal pressure system in which fluid pressure is admitted to the interior of the casing while held in arched form in a mold so that the pressure withinthe casing stretches the casing at its outer or tread part into Contact with the molding surfaces. In some internal pressure systems the casing is stretched outwardly by supplying fluid pressure to an inflatable bag or tube within the casing so that the internal pressure caused by the expension or inflation of the said tube stretches the tire casing as required.

According ,to thls invention the mold shells are associated with suitable portions which close the circular space within the inner circumferential edges of the mold shells So that an internalspaice is provided between the said portions to which internals ace Huid pressure can be supplied and rom which the pressure can be supplied to the in terior of the casing or to jackets or spaces 'in' the mold shells in close proximity to the molding space formed between the mold shells. The mold shells may be mounted inV `or may form part of dished or diskdike containers so that the internal space is provided between the dished or disk parts of the containers so as to avoid the necessity of making steam tight joints at the inner parts of the mold shells. One of the chief features Vof the invention consists in 'so arranging the interior parts of the containers that 1t is not necessary to break or disconnect .the fluid pressure connections 'after each cure. The

'mold shells may be adapted to be used in conjnnction with a rigid core yor annular ring flfy'means of which the inner or beaded edgesco the casing on the core can be clamped' or secured between the two mold lshells while the tread or outer .part of the -tire casing fitted in casing does not make contact with themolding surface, until the fluidi pressllifdlplied to vthe interior casing. Fo n lence of description the term"`{) A sm will be used to cover the caseof A ld 60 shells formed in one therewitlitiiiy case of the mold shells detachably sentirli "threto. One container is preferably"s1p1iiited in a horizontal position and forms he:4 i'ver contaner while the upper containrnti' 'be' hinged to enable it to' be closed divVn o` fthe lower container and the meansfrfsp ing the VHuid pressure are conneetetlt Y lower container. g m

In order that the said inventio iiybe clearly understood and readily 'ca "iditito effect, the sanie will now be descri el'i'ore fully with reference to the hccompahyi g drawings, in which i* Ml H1 Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectioilslliiew 75 showing upper and lower mold* shellslsecured to disk-like containers. "fl d the mold shfus'itu he so Figs. 3, 4, 5, `6, and 7 are somewhatsiiiiilar views to Fig. 2 (drawn to a smailerlsc'lieft showing modifications.4 flm l 85 Fig. 8 is an elevation of one constiu'ctlpn of the complete mold showing a flbredltlt'ver container and a hinged upper containerim Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view 'ilhist'ratijni y.. he i one arrangement of the complete YLr'iiollllsi'sifllbh 90 as shown 1n Fig. 8.

A and B represent the uppeand lower mold shells respectively. C and'rpriisht respectivel the upper and lower contlaihersl for the mo d shells which may besectliredin or to the containers b` screws oboltslsuth as E asindicated`for el'ample' inllfigsl'liand 2. The mold shells may however Tlvetleldulrd in the containers in anyappropriate mitunterad or they mav be formed in one therwthfs shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In mosto'thekamples shown the containers kC, D arelbf shell A is prlferiihly hingedl.\'niounteil on i1 pin J by meuiis of :in urni (`2 i`xteiidijiigr from (he eontuiner l', the pin .l heilig mounted in un extension D of the support D".

Hydraulic means sueli :is u piston lx' in n cylinder K muy be provided so that the admission of witter to the upper orV lower side of the piston tlirougli pipes l(2 K" will more. the-piston whieli through ii-rod l\" and link l\"' will elleet the raising of the upper container to the open position or the lowering of the eontiiiiier to the i-losed position: ti liuliinee weight li muy :ilso be seeiired to the nrui oi' the upper eoiitiiiner to :is-sist in the opening inoienient ol' the liii-` ter. when the upper eoiitziiner with itmold shell is in tlie raised or opened position ii tire easing li on :i eore l. run be phieed in the, lower niold shell li und the upper eontiiiner t is then lowered to bring its mold shell into the elosed position ou the lower mold shell to einbruee the eusiiig li und the eoie li' us shown in l"ig. :3. 'llie upper und lower eontiiiners :ire then seenred in the elosed position by inenns ol' bolts )l or other nieiins :it the outer eiiruniferenre oth the eontuiiiers :ind il' desired by bolts .\l' or other nieziiis. extending through siiitiilile bosses on the eontiiiiier disposed within the inner eireuinl'ereiu'e ol' tlie mold shells. see Fig. L. liielting rings ure provided between the niold .shells :ind the eontuiners to multe lluid tight joints und effeet :i proper elosiire t'or the limiting spin-es l. The eore li' muy be rolliipsilile oi' therwise :is muy be required to suit wired or soft beaded eiisings. 'llie eore muy :ils-o lie solid or liollow. 'llie tire ':isin'g is built up to slieli u size tliiit its outer or trend purt. it does not eoinpletel \l lill the iiiolding spuee l'oifined between the two inold shells. so tliut bh' menus oll intei'iiiil pressure within the easing. tlie lutter run be stretelied or expunded to eoiituel with tlie inold shell-' tlie eiising being shown in its expiiiu'led po- K sition in Figs. to i'. l"or the purpose ol' supplviiig lluid pressure to the interim-,of the eusiiig the eore l.' is provided with :i pnssugo or pipe li? in eoniniiiiiieiition willi tlie spiiee `l" between the i-oiiliiiliers iilul lending to the outer sui'l'aieeol' the eoie ,so tliut llnid pressure euii `ii-:ieli the interior snrl'uecpl' toe outer part :ind if desired tho siil'esioi' tlie'eiising und tlluB expand or streteh the eiising into Contact with the inner surl'iiees of the mold shells without displiieing the easing iit its bends or wired edges wliieli ure elumped between the eore and the iiiold shells us shown. Dwing to the pipe or pussuge L2 lending to the outer Hiil'fiiee ot' tlie eore it prevents uir inside u hollow eore (see l-`igs. Si. t und u) iroineouiing into eiintiut with the inner siirt'iiee of tlie rusiti t. thus preventing diinizige wliiel'i is eiiusei h r ilir pressure on the uni-tired rubberized siirl'iiee ot' the eusiiig. (liie'eonsliuetion oi menus for :idniitting fluid pressiire to the interior of tlu"eoiituiners is shown in Fig. .2 wherein the pipe ll extend-` ing through the lower eontuiiier is lient over :it its upper end to diseliurge the lliiiil .indi :i spiiee between the inner eore :ind :in ilpstzinding lliiiige li' |irel'eriiblifornied in one iitli the lower niold shell in order to insurey twiait the lluid i'eiielies tlie intei'iorol' tlie eoie und elleets the expnnsioii or stri-telling of the easing.

ln ordi-r to |iie\eiit steiiin eontzieting with the interior soi'tuee of the tii'e rusting `hot iiiiier iii:i be iiijei-ted troni .-i reserve contiiiiieil ll' liuiuig u limiting dei'iee sueli as :i steoni pipe ll' :ind when the iiili'e lla is opened the unter is l'ei'ei-d lroi'ii the Irontiiiner Il b \',pi'essure entering through ilie pipe ll. When this` iii-rziiigeiiient is employed the hol unter is injeeted until it overflows the opstanding flange l whereupon hot wider is shut otl' und Vstezi'in `iidinitted to eoiunieuee the eure. 'This system nin)y lie used` to insure driving :iir out from between the eore :ind ensiug :ind lor this purpose the ziii muy esi-:ipe through the vent tube or piissiige l. when the hot. witter iidinitted.

lt is \'erl\' desii'iilile to inzike :i proper elo sure between the bends or ei'lges nl he eusiiig .ind the iiiold shells. und siieli proper elosure infix be obtiiiied by the serewing down ol' the 4seeiiring bolts M' or other ineiiiis und :ilso In' the zietion of the inteiniil pressure 'l`lie easing itself forms the l' |nii'ed lliiid tight joint to prevent the interiuil pressure lroni el'eiiping or diminishing. `ll` desired drziin pipes und vziives M ,niiii' be provided :it suitable pul'ts of the eontiiiiiei's to prevent iu'eninulution of rondensiitioii in the eoiitniners. (living to the provision ol 'the steiim or heating spaces :iround the mold Shells und the access of' pipe L leading to the interior of the caslng. p The `example shown in Fig. 7 illustrates a bageor tube Ls within the casing; the EJbag orrtube may be provided with a vulve or pipe L2 passing through a core ring L* fior enablin fluid pressure to be admitted to the interior ofthe tube for expanding or forcing the outer part of the casing into contact with the mold shells. In order to prevent ingress of air between the tube Ls ,and the casing the pipe L2 secured to the .vr-tube is adapted to be pulled against the core ring L", for example, by screwing up a nut threaded on the pipe against the inner l,sl'uface of the core ring.` Preferably the nsero theair bag is avoided and the fluid is permitted to come intov direct Contact with the inner surface of the casing. In order toprevent the pressure medium from penej trating the casing, the inner surface may be coated with a thick layer of rubber solution, for example it may be brushedI with jp. Cold cure solution; or the inner ply or ,plies of then casing may be made of semi- Cured rubberized fabric. The above de- .soription sets forth the general features of construction of the apparatus. Figs. 3. et, `5 and 6 iilustrate modifications in which the parts corresponding to those shown vin Fig. @are designated by similar reference let- '.tfers In Fig. 3 4the mold shells A and B rare fitted in grooves formed in the containers and steam or heating spaces l are' lprovided around the said grooves for heat- 'iiig the mold shells` which spaces may be lsupplied with the heating medium from the space F between the containers or 1from an independent source, preferably from an independent source so as to coonomize in the ,consumption of steam due to the heating spaces or jackets always being connected to the steam supply and not exhausted after each cure.V In this example andalso that shown in Fig. Lthe central or disk portions C and D of the containers are in- Wardly dished. to reduce the size of the steam space F between them. The modifications shown in Figs. 5 and 6 show the mold shells A and B formed in one with the containers C D in such manner as to provide the heating spaces around or in proximity to the portions forming the upper and lower mold shells.

The construction of the containers with removable mold shells is advantageous as the latter may be readily removed and substituted bv others to take a different size.

or tvpe o tire thereby enabling the same molding apparatus to be used for various types of tires. The steam or Water connections are not disconnected from the a paratus durin removal of the casings rom the mold s elle after curing as they are B 'connected to the lowercontainer which is not moved when the upper one is raised, thus eliminating trouble usually experienced in this respect. Internal `pressure can be applied with a collapsible core in place so that it is not necessary toremove the uncurcd casing therefrom which is liav ble to be damaged by such removal. As stated above the use of an internal/inflat able air tube or bag can be avoided the mold' shells and the casing constitute the internal pressure receiver. The constructious'bf the molding apparatus shown in the drawings present many advantages and also permit of the handling of tire coros, ctc., being facilitated and expedited with a minimum of labor and little effort on the part oi' the operators.` The molds may be placed under an overhead rail or runway along which may -travel a 'carrier from which arcore withcasing thereon can be suspended either when placing in or when removing from the mold. The molds may be arranged in gangs or batches so that while one or (others) are being emptied another (or others) can be filled during which operations the other molds are closed andthe cure oi' casings taking place. Au overhead. runway would serve for the several molds so arranged. A considerable number of molds may be arranged in a row served b v a common overhead rail 0r runway and several ot' such rows with an overhead runway N for each row may be employed vas shown in Fig. 9 and when the molds are a1'- ranged in this manner they may 'be stag- 100 gered or otherwise positioned so that the opening oi' one `mold will not interfere with the adjacent mold. As shown in Fig. 9 the molds in each pair of rows may be arranged back to bank so' that the upper containers 105 move toward each other when opening, the space between each pair of rows serving as a gaugway or passage for the operators.

lVhat l claim and desire to secure by Letters- Patent of the United States is zl. Apparatus for moldin and vulanizing tires comprising annu ar mold Shells adapted to receive a tire, and members clos-` ing the circular space within the inner circumferential edges of said shells to provide 115 an internal chamber between said members and shells to receive luid pressure and from which the fluid pressure may be supplied to the interior of a tire arranged within the mold shells.

2. Apparatus for moldin and vulcanizing tires comprising annu ar mold shells adapted to receive a tire, members closing the circular space within the inner circumferential edges of said shells to provide an 125 internal chamber and jackets or spaces surrounding the shells, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to said central chamber and said jackets.

3. Apparatus for molding and vu1caniz 130 ing tires and the like comprising mold shells adapted to receive a tire= dxskhke members associated w1th said shells and forming a central ehamher within the' inner' circumferential edges ot' the shells to whieii fluid pressure muy he supplied, and means for establishing communication between said chamber and the interior ot' a tire held between said Shells.

4. Apparatus for molding and vulcanizing tires` comprising annular mold shells. dislvlike nu-mhers forming a tluid pressure chamber within the space surrounded h v the inner edges of' the mold shells. and means l'or supplying iuid pressure to said chambei'.

Apparatus t'or molding and vulcanizing tires comprising annular mold shells, containers connected lo said shells and forming a central fluid pressure chamber within the space surroumled hv the inner edges ot' the shells and inde )endent heating chambers` about said mold s iells. means for supplying fluid pressure to said central chamber, and means for supplying fluid pressure to said'eeutral chamber and the heating space about the mold shells.

6. Apparatus for molding and vulcanizing tires comprising upper and lower annular mold shells. and upperI and lower horizontall)v arranged disk-like 'containers connected respectivelv to. said upper and lower mold shells and forming a fluid prer- Sure chamber within the space surrounded by the inner edges ot' the mold shells` the` lower container being fixed While the upper one is movablv mounted lthereon.

7. Apparatus for molding and vulcanizng tires comprising upper and lower annular mold shells, upper and lower horizonv tolli arranged disk-like containersnonnected respectively to `said upper and lower lshells and forming a fluid pressure chamber within the space surrounded by the inner edges of the said shells. and means for sup' plying fluid pressure to said chamber.

u. Apparatus for molding and vulcanizing tires comprising mold shells, adapted to receive a tire between them, means inclosingr the spare within the inner circumferential edges of' the mold shells to form a. fluid pressure chamber, and a core within the mold shells having means for Conducting fluid pressure from said chamber to the interior of a tire within the mold shells.

SJ. Apparatus for molding and vulcanizing tires comprising annular mold shells, means closing the space surrounded by said shells to form a fluid pressure chamber. and a eore within the shells having a flange bearing against the inner circumferential edges of the shells and provided with a duet whereby fluid pressure may be conducted from said (zentral chamber to the outer Surface of the Core within the mold shells. Y'

10. Apparatus for molding and vulcanizing tires comprising annular mold shellsn means closingl the space surrounded by said shells to form a fluid pressure chamberthat communicates `.vith the interior of the mold shells. means for supplying steam to said chamber, and means for preventing the ste-(un supply to said chamber from contacting with the inner surface or plies of a tire arranged within thelmold shells.

COLIN MACBETH. 

